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Designing the Studio | Creative Business Basics

@designingthestudio

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💡 For creative founders & teams
✨️ Actionable tips to turn studio CHAOS into CLARITY ✨️
💁‍♀️ @nishitamohta
For creative solopreneurs @creativeopsclub

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It's here 🎉 I made a toolkit for every creative founder who’s DM'd me some version of: "I think I need to hire someone... project manager, account manager, studio manager.. but I have no idea what I actually need them to do."

‘HIRING FOR CREATIVE OPS’ is like a self-paced strategic workshop for creative studio founders hiring their first Creative Operator. It's not a generic "how to hire a PM" guide. This is everything I would have used if you were my 1:1 client, turned into something you can work through on your own time, with your own coffee, at your own desk.

With this toolkit, you'll figure out:  ✨ exactly which responsibilities you're ready to hand over (and which you're not) ✨ what kind of a personality you need in your Creative Operator (this one changes everything) ✨ what title works best for your studio: “____ manager”??
✨ how to spot a "Thinker" from a "Coordinator" before you hire them, not six months in ✨ the words to actually put in the job description
✨ the interview process which will help you find the person you need  ✨ how to onboard them so it sticks, not sabotage them by accident

I built this because I believe every studio founder deserves operational support that suits who they are, and how they’ve built their studio. I know this will bring back a lot more time autonomy to you.

I am currently offering 20% OFF for the first 20 founders, to celebrate this new launch 🎉

Comment ‘Ops’ to know more :)
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Creative Studio, Studio Ops, Design Studio, Founder Life, Hiring Tips, Creative Operations, Studio Founder, Small Creative Business by @designingthestudio

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9 hours ago

It's been 1 year 🎂 since I started 'Designing the Studio' a year ago, as my own side-quest. The goal has always been to build a stronger knowledge bank, through conversations & information (but mostly conversation) for creatives to access more business thinking.

Over time, the path to this goal has taken many forms:  
the podcast on YouTube with which DTS first started (which I've done a poor job of advertising I guess because pretty much nobody knows it exists?!)  this Instagram (so happy you're here!)  and now: some toolkits I'm building to share everything I know from my years of practice & consulting in a more structured form.   I've even made a website (www.designingthestudio.com) now, which is my own way of making it "real" for myself. Something a little more than one of my many projects.   ❤️ Dear reader, I'd love to know what your experience of this page has been like. Have you heard any of the podcasts? Did any of the IG posts ever stand out in your mind? Whatever your associations are with this page, I'd love to know! Thank you for being around ✌️

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creative studio founder, heart-led business, studio operations, creative entrepreneurship, business systems for creatives, project management for creative studios, studio management podcast, creative business podcast, sustainable creative business, how to run a design studio, systems for creative founders, creative studio consulting, small studio operations, time autonomy for founders, building in public, creative founder community, studio founder resources by @designingthestudio

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13 days ago

This one means a lot because @kritikatrehan is someone I've grown to admire for both her craft and the way she leads her team at @studiopingpongindia

Having her trust me with the inner workings of her studio is something I'm very grateful for! ✨

If you're a creative founder, looking for support on the operational side of things at your studio, send me a DM & let's chat :)

#designstudio #designbusiness #creativebusiness #womenwholead #businessgrowth by @designingthestudio

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6

7 months ago

On operational happiness 💚 In Episode 06 of the Designing The Studio podcast, I'm so happy to be in conversation with Luigson Fernandes.

He is the founder of @thebeardedplantguy 🌿 and co-founder of @susegadostrike 🥊 - two very different businesses that run on the same philosophy of NURTURING (plants, in one case, and athletes in the other) with a strong-set of founder values.

He calls his philosophy "Operational Happiness". Over the coming weeks, I'll be highlighting the most important lessons we can all learn from him.

This is Part 2/6. To watch the entire conversation, comment HAPPY & I'll send you a link. YT 🔗 also in bio.
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creative studio founder, heart-led business, studio operations, creative entrepreneurship, business systems for creatives, project management for creative studios, studio management podcast, creative business podcast, sustainable creative business, how to run a design studio, systems for creative founders, creative studio consulting, small studio operations, time autonomy for founders, building in public, creative founder community, studio founder resources by @designingthestudio

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4 days ago

In Episode 06 of the Designing The Studio podcast, I'm so happy to have Luigson Fernandes.

He is the founder of @thebeardedplantguy 🌿 and co-founder of @susegadostrike 🥊 - two very different businesses that run on the same philosophy of NURTURING (plants, in one case, and athletes in the other) with a strong-set of founder values.

He calls his philosophy "Operational Happiness". Over the coming weeks, I'll be highlighting the most important lessons we can all learn from him.

This is Part 1/6. To watch the entire conversation, comment HAPPY & I'll send you a link. YT 🔗 also in bio.
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creative studio founder, heart-led business, studio operations, creative entrepreneurship, business systems for creatives, project management for creative studios, studio management podcast, creative business podcast, sustainable creative business, how to run a design studio, systems for creative founders, creative studio consulting, small studio operations, time autonomy for founders, building in public, creative founder community, studio founder resources taken in Goa, India by @designingthestudio

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6 days ago

Make it easy for potential bosses to trust you 🩵

Perhaps this is just something you never thought about or no one else brought up 🤷🏽‍♀️ But now you know!

#designportfolio #creditwheredue #creativeprofessional #portfoliotips #designstudio by @designingthestudio

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a month ago

Next Stop: The Intersection of Creative Practice and Sustainable Business 🌿

The creative process can be emotionally and logistically exhausting. Our next speaker is here to bring ease, courage, and balance back into the journey! Welcome, Nishita Mohta, to DesignUp 2026. 🚇

Nishita is a Creative Business Consultant, Coach, Educator, and Author. With a background in architecture and graphic design, she works closely with creative founders and design studios across India to build systems that support healthier, more sustainable ways of working. Through her mentoring and her brilliant book, Inspired: The A-Z of Creative Unblocking, she helps creatives overcome fears, perfectionism, and burnout.

Whether she is consulting or teaching, her purpose is simple: to untangle the chaos that clouds creativity and make space for originality and joy. She is joining us to help you reconnect with your boldest ideas.

👉 Mind the gap and secure your seat: https://26.designup.io/

#DesignUp2026 #CreativeLeadership #DesignProcess #CreativeUnblocking #DesignAtCrossroads taken in Bangalore, India by @designingthestudio

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a month ago

The full interview with @bluekhirki ‘s 3 principal architects: now up up @designingthestudio ‘s new website 🌟

The Blue Khirki (TBK, lovingly) is an architecture practice run by Rijul Singh, Samridh Chaudhry & Shambhavi Singh, in Dehradun.

Earlier this year, I got the chance to visit them at their studio, and see some of their ongoing & completed site work too! The brilliance shines through - and it made me curious about the behind-the-scenes of running a practice in an industry as high-stress as architecture, with friends you’ve known for years!

So here are the questions I asked them - individually. Swipe through for their answers. 👉

Oh, and yes! Designing The Studio now has its own website. You’ll find other interviews and podcast episodes all in one place now :)
www.designingthestudio.com or link in bio.

I’ve kept the website simple for now. Tell me what you think! by @designingthestudio

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10 days ago

3 founders, 1 studio, and so many stories to share ✨

Many of us, at some point, have dreamt of starting something together with friends. At @bluekhirki, an architecture studio based in Dehradun & working on projects across the country, Rijul, Samridh & Shambhavi are actually making it happen!

This is Part 2 of the snippets from their interview with @designingthestudio.

Swipe through for their own individual answers to the same questions.
And check out the complete interview on our website: www.designingthestudio.com (link in bio)

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Architecture practice, architects, Indian design, creative business, studio life, partnership, system design, business partners, business with friends taken in Dehradun, Uttarakhand by @designingthestudio

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20 days ago

So many of us, at some point, have dreamt of starting something together with friends. At @bluekhirki, an architecture studio based in Dehradun & working on projects across the country, Rijul, Samridh & Shambhavi are actually making it happen!

@designingthestudio brings you a sneak peek inside: 🏡 the studio itself through these photographs that @nishitamohta got a chance to click at their Dehradun studio, and..
💬 the founders’ minds, through the interview.

Swipe through, and read the complete interview on our new website 🔥 link in bio!

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Architecture practice, architects, Indian design, creative business, studio life, partnership, system design, business partners, business with friends by @designingthestudio

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23 days ago

Where do you draw the line between what’s “work” and what’s a “hobby”?
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Time management, hobby, creative career, designer, writer, photographer, illustrator, differentiation, passion projects, author by @designingthestudio

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25 days ago

Devashree attended one of my workshops on creative unblocking a year ago. Today, I met her again at the pop up where her business @thepastacollective_goa was present. And honestly… what she said about the workshop’s impact on her gave me goosebumps! 🥹

I’m so grateful that I get to interact with so many super-talented creative folks in different capacities - from workshops and one-time consults to multi-year partnerships, and evenly passively through this online space.
If you’re a creative founder, know that I’m rooting for you. 🚀

Thank you Devashree, for sharing your “1 year later”-experience with me (and then again for the camera!)

Go follow @thepastacollective_goa so that you can keep an eye out for their workshops & pop-ups. 🤘

#creativebusiness #creativefounder #selfconfidence #foundermindset #goabusiness by @designingthestudio

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22 days ago